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2014 Rider Watch: Jens Voigt – Trek Factory Racing

Jens Voigt is one of the most popular and enduring figures in modern cycling. A super strong domestique and noted baroudeur, who knows how to get into a break and works to make them stick. A rider of power and seemingly unflappable spirit, he isn’t the fastest, nor is he the best climber, so he makes up for it through sheer effort. Voigt will attack far from the line to shed the faster finishers, and can drag himself over the mountains by force of will. Everyone in cycling, or who follows it, seems to have their favourite Jens Voigt story, like the time he descended from the Col de Peyresourde on a child’s bike, see the video below if you to hear Jens tell the story.

Now 42, Voigt is finally entering his last season as a professional cyclist (unless he changes his mind of course), and while he will likely still be around cycling in some capacity, this is the final chance for fans to see him race. His season will start in Australia with the Tour Down Under, and should see him return to the American races he always seems to enjoy. Wherever else he ends up racing, it promises to be one long farewell tour, and I expect we will see him animating races as often as he can. I wanted to follow a rider who is at the end of their career and while I think David Millar would have made an equally interesting choice, Jens Voigt was the first who came to mind. Time waits for no one and all careers must come to an end, but as inevitable as it is, the peloton will be poorer when Jens Voigt has finally stepped aside. Until then we can still say “Shut Up Legs!!”

Jens Voigt is very active on twitter, and as entertaining on there as he is on the bike, you can follow him here. Follow @thejensie